soap & glory the greatest scrub of all facial exfoliator

I'm a huge fan of skincare products. Unfortunately, due to the fact I used to suffer with rather bad acne (and now have the scars to prove it) and still get the occasional blemishes, products that promise to improve the general look and condition of my skin are ones that I will buy almost instantly. I feel now that my face is just mostly clogged with lots of blocked pores (mainly on my nose, middle of my forehead and around my nose) and blackheads (everywhere really but most noticeable on the end of my nose and chin). Therefore exfoliators, besides masks, are my favourite skin care product to buy. They make my face/skin really clean and smooth (well my favourite ones do) and they're sort of the 'criteria' I look for when searching for a new exfoliator.

Soap & Glory are a brand I've only really gotten interested in recently (after catching up on Zoe's blog and videos - she's a big fan!) and I've heard nothing but wonderful stuff about them. Therefore when I popped into Boots last month after a pretty rubbish day of exams, I decided to treat myself to some new skincare products. Soap & Glory actually had a 3 for 2 offer so I had a long look over the products and came away with this exfoliator and 2 masks. The masks I am still yet to try out but I've given the scrub a go so I thought I'd share my thoughts with you!

The Greatest Scrub Of All Facial Exfoliator (£9.00)

The first thing I'd like to mention that I really love is the packaging and the names of the products from Soap & Glory. Without realising it, a lot of us do judge by appearance and so a company that takes care in the design of their packaging is always going to prove popular. I also like that most of their products have quirky names or they have a play on words involved. I love it!

Now onto the actual product itself! It is relatively thick and the texture is sort of like a paste, it's not a cream and it's not a gel. As you can see in the last picture, the cream contains little beads for exfoliation. They are called 'smooth-boost spheres' (which apparently "pop open when you press on them", not that i've tried this) and they aren't too abrasive or scratch the skin which is brilliant. I found that it was really nice to apply and the beads were obvious, but as I mentioned, not uncomfortable on the skin. One thing I did notice is that when you go to wash it off, it didn't later too well and when water is splashed on it, it just washes away rather than lathering up first. This isn't a huge problem but I've always found that when exfoliators lather, they seem to be 'working' more? The smell is pretty average. I don't personally mind it but some people may not be a fan. It's a typical clean smell and I've had other exfoliators with this smell so it's nothing special.

Unfortunately the first time I used it, I didn't follow the directions of use (silly billy!) and I did it how I'd normally use an exfoliator but it still worked well enough. My skin felt and looked really clean and fresh. It felt slightly smoother too and my skin wasn't too tight after use either. However, the second time I washed my face with it, I did it properly and followed the instructions! I did find it washed off a little easier when you dampen the face first and I enjoyed massaging the product into my face for the 30 seconds it recommends. I felt that this helped to clean the pores and unclog them. 

I've used this both day and night now and I've liked the results both times. I love washing my face in the morning as it makes me feel cleaner, fresher and just overall 'better' and this is exactly what this exfoliator does. It gives you a great fresh feeling and I've found that it reduces the amount of oil on my face providing a more matte start to the day (which is great for me). At night it also makes your face feel really clean after the day's activities. I would recommends taking your make up off first, as it can get messy, and then using this as a secondary, deep clean, step. 

Now for some short term effects! My pores do look smaller and more refined after use but I can't see there being any long term benefits. With high street exfoliators, I never really expect their to be any long term changes - I leave that for the likes of Liz Earle and Clinique. However, I am pleased with it so far and will continue to use it! My blackheads seem less obvious but they are still there.

So there are my thoughts on this lovely exfoliator from Soap & Glory. I do recommend it if you are looking for a relatively cheap product that can make your skin feel really clean and refreshed! As I mentioned, I still have 2 masks to try out and give you my thoughts on so keep your eyes peeled for them!

Sorry this post is a little late but I'm just so hot and exhausted it's taken me a little while longer than usual. I went into Manchester with my mum today to pop into Primark to get some last minute bits for our holiday. I didn't actually get any of the things I'd planned to from there but picked up some other bits and bobs instead! I also got a new bikini from M&S which I really really like and can't wait to wear next week! I'm currently watching Shrek 2 (guilty pleasure...) but should probably go to bed soon as I have work tomorrow (not looking forward to it!). 

Thank you for sticking with me through this rather lengthy post and I'll hopefully have a lipstick review for you tomorrow! :)